Walleye sign veteran forward Justin Mercier
Split 2013-14 season with Idaho in ECHL, Iowa, Bridgeport in AHL
8/19/2014The Toledo Walleye have signed Justin Mercier, a forward who has played in nine games in the NHL.
Mercier was a sixth-round pick of Colorado in the 2005 NHL draft and appeared in nine games with the Avalanche during the 2009-10 season. He scored his first NHL goal on Feb. 4, 2010. He also had one assist with the Avalanche.
Mercier, 27, will be entering his sixth pro season. The native of Erie, Penn. split last season between Idaho in the ECHL and Iowa and Bridgeport of the American Hockey League.
As captain at Idaho, Mercier posted a career best 30 points (18 goals, 12 assists) in 43 contests. The veteran forward has skated in 239 games at the AHL level (41G, 40A, and 213 penalty minutes) with stops in Lake Erie, Iowa, and Bridgeport.
“Justin brings great leadership and experience to us in Toledo,” Walleye coach Derek Lalonde. “This is a tremendous signing for us going into the season. It is exciting for us to add a player of his caliber on and off the ice to this team.”